Explore some of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.
Written and photographed by Tricia Edwards
Syria has enough to occupy the avid sightseer for at least four weeks and even then you would only skim the surface. Limited to a week, we decided to centre our trip around Aleppo and leave Damascus and the rest of Syria for another visit.
Aleppo is not only a fascinating city in itself with a wealth of historical interest but also serves as a stepping off point for other historic sights, principally the Basilica of St Simeon at Qala'at Samaan to the north and the so-called Dead Cities to the south. We also had to see the famous medieval water wheels of Hama and the not-to-be-missed Krak des Chevaliers, the largest and best preserved of all the Crusader castles, so based ourselves for two nights in the delightful city of Hama.
Peeping through the oldest city
Modern Aleppo is a multi-ethnic city with a population of about three million. We chose to stay in the only hotel in the Old City, at the heart of the souq. Leaving the taxi at Bab Antakya or Antioch Gate, and proceeding on foot to our hotel was a swift and instant introduction to the real Aleppo. This is not a souq maintained or prettified for tourists. Not only did we have to contend with manoeuvring our suitcases through the bargaining crowds but had to avoid losing our toes to the occasional small vehicle trying to nudge its way through the masses. A picturesque note was added by a man on a donkey, calmly surveying the world while his competent animal negotiated the crowds. But we wouldn't have had it any other way. Our hotel, sub-titled in the publicity as Hotel de Charme, certainly was a hidden gem. It is made up of two old houses converted into a hotel, complete with covered courtyard and rooftop terrace, where breakfast was served while the doves wheeled in the blue sky overhead. The weather in October, incidentally, was sublime – warm and breezy.
Aleppo is arguably the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, from the 18th century BC to the present. The Old City, which is mainly Ottoman (16th to 19th centuries) but goes back in part to the 13th century, was originally walled and had eight gates. This structure is now largely invisible although parts of the wall remain. Only two gates, Bab Antakya and Bab Qinnesrin, the latter beautifully restored, retain their original structure. However, the wealth of historic architecture has earned the old city the status of a World Heritage Site and international teams are helping with the restoration of many areas. The object is to preserve it as a viable environment for people to carry on their lives by raising the standards of housing and services, at the same time as protecting and restoring its former architectural glories.
While the crowds were about there was little chance to see these glories, but the Eid holiday, when all but a few tourist shops were closed, allowed us to wander at will and venture into all the corners and byways of the old city. It is easy to forget that there is something behind the masses of shop fronts on the main alleys of the souq. A peep through a keyhole in a studded wooden door can reveal a courtyard lined with palm trees – another world. Massive carved gates open on to ancient mosques, historic hammams and khans, or traveller's inns, which are still used for trade. The Old City really is a living museum.
Dare to bargain
Shopping in Aleppo is only for those who dare to bargain to the death. Prices asked are anything up to four times a realistic price and you have to shop around and set a reasonable limit for yourself. Vendors vie for your attention and accost you in the street to persuade you towards their shops. Everyone, it seems, has a brother in England, Germany, Italy, Timbuktu, wherever you come from. Our favourite vendor's cry was 'Next victim!' At least one frustrated tourist had tried to get his revenge. We would have to say that the hard sell was the aspect of Aleppo we liked least and we quickly found a back way to our hotel to avoid being accosted at every footstep in the main drag. Artefacts which differ from those in our own Muttrah are the exquisite damask silk and cotton tableware, brightly coloured woven geometric-patterned tablecloths, inlaid wooden boxes, brass lanterns, locally-made olive oil soap, prayer beads, kelims and carpets from Syria and Turkey and local clothing – velvet dresses for ladies and beautiful men's woven wool jellabahs. One shop sold a variety of silk slippers straight from A Thousand and One Nights. Otherwise expect to find lots of silver Indian jewellery and innumerable pashminas.
The cities within
Al Jdeida, not really the new city but post-dating the old, was built during the Ottoman era for the Armenians and Maronites who traded here. It is smaller and more salubrious than the old city. Here, narrow alleys lead to some beautifully restored Ottoman courtyard houses containing hotels, restaurants and the Museum of Popular Tradition, worth the visit for the house alone. Eating out here is good – try out a variety of mezze and interesting local specialities. The churches are also in this quarter and worth a visit.
Dominating all of this is the famous citadel. This natural mound in the centre of the city was apparently the site of a tenth century BC temple and was first fortified in the fourth century BC. A wander around the citadel is an essential experience. There is much of interest in the ruins themselves but it also provides a panoramic view of the whole city. Add to this the sound of the muezzins from innumerable mosques floating on the air and the flocks of ubiquitous doves, catching the sun on their wings as they wheel to and fro, and you have a true Aleppine experience.
Chipped pillars of Qala'at Samaan
It didn't take us long to decide against hiring a car in Aleppo. The price was astronomical (high insurance costs?) and the driving and traffic conditions are diabolical. But you can hire a driver and a car for US$30-40 a day and he will take you to all the out-of-city sites – much more relaxing and much cheaper.
The basilica at Qala'at Samaan was built around the pillar of Simeon Stylites, the fifth century ascetic who lived on the tops of pillars for 40 years of his life, such was his aversion to the human race. His final pillar was here and was said to be 18m high. His reputed great holiness drew pilgrims from all over the world. Women however, were not allowed near the pillar, not even his mother. The basilica was built after his death, completed in 490, and was the largest at the time. It is in amazingly good condition, particularly the intricate carving which is still sharp and clean. Unfortunately the pillar was gradually chipped away in antiquity by souvenir hunters and is now reduced to a large boulder on a plinth. The site of the Basilica is another reason to visit it. It is perched on a hill overlooking the surrounding countryside with ancient monasteries at its feet and views almost as far as Turkey.
An additional bonus to this trip was a drive through the Kurdish region of Afrin. Our Kurdish driver told us that this region contained one fifth of all the olive trees in the world. We saw no reason not to believe him. The trees stretched for miles, over hills, through valleys, rows and rows of them fading into the distance, stripes of blue-green olive and red earth, lovingly maintained.
The rhythmic groaning of a floodlit noria
We took the bus to Hama – one and a half hours in a luxury coach for one and a half dollars each. Pre-Eid shopping continued with all the colour and excitement of Aleppo but a little less crowded. Hama is a delightful city with gardens laid out along the Orontes river and a picturesque old quarter. The main attraction of Hama is its massive wooden water wheels. 17 of these norias survive, incredibly, from the 13th century, much repaired and renovated throughout history but essentially the same designs. The function of these giant wheels – the largest is 20m high – was to raise water from the deep, rocky riverbed of the Orontes in order to irrigate the higher surrounding land. They are mostly active in spring and summer when waters are high but a few have been put into action by selective damming. The rhythmic groaning of a floodlit noria at night with its backdrop of ancient walls and buildings, all reflected in the dark river below, epitomises the charm of Hama.
Through the Dead Cities in a Mercedes
We decided to visit the Dead Cities from Hama, rather than from Aleppo, and, having hired a driver and ancient silver Mercedes, took off for the day.
There are estimated to be about 600 Byzantine sites from the fifth and sixth centuries spread over the uplands south of Aleppo. We chose to visit one of the most extensive and spent two hours clambering through the ruins of Serjilla, taking photographs and marvelling at the state of the buildings. It is rare to see two-storey buildings still standing after 1,500 years but here merchant houses stand tall alongside public baths and a beautifully preserved inn complete with loggia.
Unfortunately, we were so besotted with Serjilla that we arrived at the mosaic museum in Ma'arat an-Nu'aman only 15 minutes before it closed. This museum is a must. It has the most wonderful collection of mosaics from the Byzantine ruins, beautifully displayed and housed in a lovely 16th century khan.
Castle of assassins
Our second day trip out involved a journey through the mountains to the castle of Musyaf and then on to Krak. Besides being an impressive sight, perched high in the centre of the town, the Assassins' Castle at Musyaf owes its claim to fame to its owners in the 12th century. These occupants were an extreme sect who became known as the Assassins because murder was their business. They successfully knocked off leading figures as well as rulers and even made attempts on the lives of Saladin and Nureddin.
Leaving the assassins' castle behind, we continued through the mountain towns until our driver suddenly stopped and pointed out Krak in the distance, an imposing sight. Entering Krak, known locally as Qa'alat al Hosn, we were yet again to marvel at what we had to explore. We wished we had obeyed our guidebook's injunction to bring a torch to investigate all the nooks and crannies of this amazingly preserved castle. There are two lions carved on one archway and you can peer down into fascinating basement baths added by the Mamluks. An exquisite seven-arched loggia with delicately carved pillars faces on to a large open courtyard, strangely at odds with the massive, impregnable walls of the fortress. It is a storehouse of delights and deserves as much time as you can spare.
Syria is a richly rewarding country to visit, not only as the wonderful repository of the relics of a long and colourful history, but also as home to a varied and welcoming people.
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